THE chairman of Bournemouth Borough Council’s planning board has blasted one of the town’s most influential landowners.

Councillor David Kelsey said the Meyrick Estate Management Ltd “need to put their money where their mouth is” during a discussion about proposals for a new block of flats on the site of one of Bournemouth’s original seaside villas.

The company, based in St Peter’s Road, made an eleventh hour objection to the plans to demolish Radcliffe Court in Manor Road, East Cliff, which came before the committee last week.

Councillors had heard from objectors, as well as devel-opers Lynwood Park Limited, before deferring a decision about the derelict building. There will be a site visit on Friday.

But Cllr Kelsey said he “discounted” the land-owner’s objections.

Meyrick Park have done exactly what they always do,” he said. “They have sat on their hands and let everyone else do all the work.”

He claimed that the company had the funds to save and refurbish Radcliffe Court if it wanted to.

“It’s another Cliff End hotel,” he said.

“They need to pull their fingers out and put their money where their mouth is. It’s a stalling tactic.”

In a letter to the council, trustees from the estate wrote that when they sold the property in 2005, they specified a number of conditions relating to its use and redevelopment.

The document, which is publically available online, reads: “Of particular relevance was that redevelopment was not to take place without Meyrick Estate trustees’ consent.

“In 2009, the Meyrick Estate trustees and the building’s owner entered into an option agreement which (i) provided that the building’s owner would seek a planning permission that was acceptable to the Meyrick Estate trustees and (ii) envisaged that the building would be transferred to the Meyrick trustees for a long lease.

“The trustees strongly oppose the application for planning permission.”

The Meyrick Estate declined to comment when asked by the Daily Echo.

TEN-YEAR ROW

Meyrick Estate Management was involved in a decade-long row with developers the Boscombe Partnership in 2011 over the once-glamorous Cliff End hotel, pictured.

Planning permission had been sought for a new build at the derelict site after the leasehold was bought out.

But the freeholders sent a solicitor’s letter to say the 124-year-old hotel was being well maintained.

The hotel was ravaged by a fire in 2012, and although a meeting with agents acting for the estate took place in June 2013, councillors say no progress has been made